Chocolate Bean Cake

[hhnurse]

Well, I made one today, along with the apple strudel muffins(yummy) & an apple pie for the non-SBDers.

I was very happy with how the bean cake turned out. Kinda heavy, like brownies, but very rich. I made a cream cheese "frosting" for it. Very tasty!
Only problem I had was I had a hard time getting the beans smashed completely.

Even my kids liked it, even tho youngest son claimed to have found a whole black bean in his piece of cake.

So, overall, I'd give the chocolate bean cake a "Thumbs Up"

[Lexysaunt]

Thanks for the review. I was wondering what this tasted like!!

I will make it soon..wonder if my boyfriend will notice!

[Burdle]

Hi. Try using a blender to puree' the beans, you could use the oil or egg yolks as added liquid to get them fine enough.
Wonder how the recipe would work using stevia extract instead of Splenda, I can't use Splenda, gives me a powerful stomach ache...
Burdle
172/136.2/120 started 1/5/04

[Lizzie128]

About the Chocolate Bean Cake. Who knew that you could make a really good cake without flour using black beans???
I just made this cake last night. My husband wasn't even going to try it because he knew about the black beans, but he was so glad he did! We thought the cake was great. Couldn't even taste the black beans.
Only hard thing was following the directions at times....as far as how much brewed coffee to put in...and there was baking cocoa in the ingredient list, but it was nowhere in the directions, so I just added it. Also, in the directions it mentioned putting salt in, but salt with an amount wasn't in the ingredient list. I just guessed and it turned out great. Mine wasn't heavy at all...it was really light...I thought it would be more like a brownie, but it wasn't, it was more like a cake, and really nice. My husband and I are going to make this for our friends who are considering SBD.
I also made a little cream cheese/cool whip frosting and it's chilling in the fridge now. For those of you about to try it, I would recommened using cool whip for the frosting, at least, if you don't feel like making the cream cheese one.
This recipe is the closest thing to real cake there is! Frozen cool whip with it made it seem like we were having cake and ice cream!
Thanks for the idea!

[hhnurse]

Lexysaunt- I wasn't going to tell my family what kind of cake it was. DS2 came into the kitchen while I was draining the beans in my colander, so I told him about it. DS1 wasn't too interested, nither was hubby. Both of the boys ate a piece of it last night, DS1 had some after his breakfast today too. Hubby didn't try it, oh well more for the rest of us.

Burdle- I did use a blender, but I put all the ingredients in at the same time, wondered if next time I smashed the beans w/ a potato masher or a fork if that would be better. I really wasn't bothered so much by the "chunky-ness" of it. I don't think DS2 was either, he was just teasing. I don't know about stevia, haven't used any of it, but if it holds up to baking I'd say it would be ok.

Lizzie- I agree, the directions were hard to follow, but I just did the same as you. I also used some instant coffee granules w/ hot water instead of brewed coffee.I may try the cool whip topping idea next time, thought about sprinkling splenda on top like powdered sugar, but decided I wanted the cream cheese. I have made WW choc. cake for p2, add used sf/ff choc. pudding for a topping. It's all so yummy! I will definately make the bean cake again, even tho I'm in p2, because I really liked it. I'd like to try the vanilla cake w/ white beans, but my kids probably wouldn't like it as well.

Thanks for the feedback. ttyl

[Burdle]

Thanks, hh. I was wondering about stevia instead of Splenda because the stevia I have is a liquid extract, won't add to the consistancy of the cake like splenda would, or to the volume, either. Won't know unless I try it. Next month is DH's birthday, would like to make him a cake. My birthday was last week, and we went cakeless. A little disappointing, but at least I didn't gain any weight that day.
Burdle

[Lizzie128]

Burdle,
In the book it says that stevia isn't FDA approved. Has it been approved now? I've never actually tried it. I love my Splenda. I see that you use it in many of your recipes. You must like it!
I think the Splenda in the cake was great.
I put the walnut on top and I thought that was really good.
anyway, thanks for all of your bean recipes. I am eating way more beans now!

[DietsRNofun]

Other than having a real hard time logging in, I also cannot find this cake using the search. Could somebody PLEASE either repost the recipe or put the direct link to the recipe here.. It sounds so interesting and I would love to try this.

Thank you.

[hhnurse]

I'm retyping this,so hope I don't have any typos please correct them if you find any. Also, I sliced my cake into 9 pieces, 2"x 2" just isn't much & I thought, it's beans, how bad can that be?

Chocolate Bean Cake

1 15 oz can black beans (drained & rinsed)
4 large eggs, seperated
1/2 cup Splenda
3 TBSP baking cocoa
2 TBSP strong coffee (or 1 TBSP espresso powder or coffee dissolved in 1 TBSP hot water)
1 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP Smart Beat spread or canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP chopped walnuts or hazelnuts-optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying it with Pam.

Blend the egg yolks,splenda,baking powder, Smart Beat (or oil), vanilla, coffee, & cocoa in a blender or with a stick blender. Add the rinsed & drained beans & puree until smooth. Transfer bean mixture to a bowl if using a blender.

In a seperate bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Mix 1/3 of the egg whites into the bean
mixture to lighten the bean mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites in two portions. It's OK if some white streaks remain in the batter.

Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts if desired. Tap the pan on counter a couple of times to release any air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes 16 2"x2" servings.

Variations: Chocolate peanut butter: add 2 TBSP natural peanut butter to the bean mixture. Sprinkle top with chopped peanuts if desired.

Chocolate hazelnut: Add 1 TBSP sugar-free hazelnut syrup or 1/4 tsp hazelnut extract to the bean mixture. Sprinkle the top with chopped hazelnuts if desired.

Note: coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate & makes it more chocolately, you don't taste the coffee.

[hhnurse]

Hello Burdle the Bean Queen! I agree about trying the stevia, I hope it works. Also, I hope you had a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! & I'm sorry you didn't have any cake. Maybe if the stevia works you can have a belated b-day party
And wanted to thank you for all of your bean recipes. They have helped me alot.

[Burdle]

Stevia is a natural product, made from a plant leaf. Just like vitamin and mineral supplements and herbs, it really doesn't need FDA approval. I believe in putting as few chemicals as possible into my body.
Burdle

[DietsRNofun]

>>>
Chocolate Bean Cake

Thank you for reposting this.. Printed.

[heathertea]

I am so glad someone reviewed this recipe... I thought about making it, I love black beans, but was a little wary since... well it sounds strange. =)

I'm making it this weekend as a treat for my bf and I. yay!

[DietsRNofun]

Made this first thing this morning. Did not have walnuts but I had almonds so I chopped some of them up and used instead plus added 1 tbsp of Kahlua Syrup to it. My questions.

1) can this be individually wrapped and then frozen?

2) was there any sweet treat calorie count to this? I figured if anything it was the cocoa. I see this as so minimal though if anything.


Will have a piece later on to see how it tastes. I tried mashing the beans with a potato masher, didn't work that great and putting it in the blender, well that didn't want to work either, it was start and then it wouldn't suck the top stuff to the bottom it was so thick, had to manipulate the beans with a spatula down to the bottom and then getting it out was a mess. This sounds like a recipe that needs a food processor! and of which I don't have...

[hhnurse]

1) I don't know why you couldn't freeze ind. portions.
2) I agree, the amts of "sweet treat" ingredients is so minimal, if nuts are added you'd have to count that of course.

Sadly, I don't have a food processor either. But that would make it alot easier. No matter, I'll be making it again because I love it.